Visible light-responsive core-shell structured In₂O₃@CaIn₂O₄ photocatalyst with superior bactericidal properties and biocompatibility.

Antibacterial activity of photocatalytic substrates is primarily induced by ultraviolet light irradiation. Visible light-responsive photocatalysts were recently discovered, offering greater opportunity to use photocatalysts as disinfectants in our living environment. The development of antibacterial photocatalysts, however, has mainly focused on titanium oxide (TiO(2))-related materials with antibacterial properties not comparable with conventional chemical disinfectants. This study demonstrated that a core-shell structured In(2)O(3)@CaIn(2)O(4) substrate has superior visible light-induced bactericidal properties, as compared with several commercially available and laboratory-prepared visible light-responsive photocatalysts. The high performance is enhanced by more easily photoexcited electron transfer between the interfaces of In(2)O(3) and CaIn(2)O(4) to minimize the electron-hole recombination during photocatalysis. Additionally, when compared with TiO(2)-based photocatalysts, In(2)O(3)@CaIn(2)O(4) treatments did not induce significant cell death and tissue damage, implying a superior biocompatibility. These findings suggest that In(2)O(3)@CaIn(2)O(4) may have potential application in the development of a safer and highly bactericidal photocatalyst. A photocatalytic susbstrate is described that functions in visible light, possesses bactericidal properties and better biocompatibility than the standard TiO(2) based methods.